Beijing, Aug 12 (IANS) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday urged his US counterpart to practice restraint over North Korea to avoid further tensions on the Korean peninsula.

“Concerned parties should avoid remarks and actions that could escalate tension on the Korean Peninsula,” Xi told Donald Trump during a phone call.

He also said that China was willing to work with the US government to resolve the issue, Xinhua news agency reported.

“China and the US have common interests in achieving denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula and maintaining peace and stability there,” Xi said in a conversation that comes days after North Korea threatened to bomb the US island of Guam in the Pacific.

On Friday, Trump had taken to Twitter to warn North Korea that “military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded”.

The White House on Saturday said that the two leaders agreed during their phone conversation that the “recent adoption of a new UN Security Council resolution” to tackle North Korea’s continuing weapons tests was “an important and necessary step toward achieving peace and stability” in the region.

“The Presidents also reiterated their mutual commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula”, the statement said. Washington has repeatedly criticised Beijing for a perceived lack of action or intervention against Pyongyang.